OSX Server 10.5.8 Update - Warning

[Marci]

Just a warning to y'all... the 10.5.8 update for OSX server has been known to cause an invalid serial number response within server admin. Mainly affects people using 2 or more network ports operating on the same subnet (eg: a Wireless and Eth0, or Eth0 & Eth 1)... but has also affected people with all network connections on separate subnets. Also affects you if you're running aggregated or bonded links.

 

There's a thread over at apple.com covering it, with no official response as of yet other than to ensure that no two network conns are on the same subnet (not particularly helpful but heyho).

 

See Apple - Support - Discussions - Help MacOS Server 10.5.8 doesn't accept ...

 

Either hold off applying the update, or ensure you can roll it back should you suffer the same problem. It will basically grey out the ability to make any changes within server admin until the issue is resolved.

[AntonioRocco]

Hi Marci

. . . also affects you if you're running aggregated or bonded links.

 

Strange as I've ran the update on an XServe with a bonded link and I saw no problems.

 

The problem shows itself if you've assigned two separate IP Addresses to both NICs. This can be a useful thing to do especially if you're monitoring a RAID for example. Until Apple get around to supplying a patch the workaround suggested in this link should help:

 

Apple - Support - Discussions - Connect to server error message ...

 

Antonio Rocco (ACSA)

[Marci]

Strange as I've ran the update on an XServe with a bonded link and I saw no problems.

Not strange at all... read the link I posted - one guy with 5 identical servers only got the issue on one of them. Doesn't affect EVERY server it's installed on (to the point that apple are struggling to reporduce the issue)... and there's no clearcut "it's happening because of xyz" at the moment other than it involves both Eth ports being in use - whether bonded, aggregate, both on same subnet, both on separate subnets etc etc...

[AntonioRocco]

Hello Marci

 

I have seen the post you're referring to. It's a post I've contributed to also. It's difficult to reproduce because there must be something else going on at those particular locations referred to in the post? A lot of people post without giving enough information. Mostly because they don't know what information they should give. Most if not all seasoned Apple Systems/Network Admins of my experience have not seen the problem. I've ran the update on a few servers just lately. All with differing network configurations and I've not seen the problem . . . yet.

 

Bear in mind a lot of the people posting on the Apple Server Forum:

 

(a) are relatively new to not only Leopard Server but servers in general

(b) have posted before with other what turned out to be 'non-problems'

© selected a configuration mode that is most likely not Advanced

(d) are using the Server as a gateway and have got into a muddle because of a lack of understanding

(e) have a poor understanding of TCP/IP, CIDR, Networking, Switches and Routing in general

(f) have not bothered to read the relevant manuals

(g) done something using the command line in the hope it might fix/improve something

(h) click happy

(i) panic

 

Having said that I'm not saying there is not a problem as there does seem to be some sites which have had issues. It's a good idea to have given everyone a 'heads-up' regarding this.

 

Antonio Rocco (ACSA)

[kingswood]

(g) (h) and (i) are me Tony!!

 

You aren't supposed to talk about customers like that

 

Hope you are well mate!

[Marci]

Apple released an OS X Server 10.5.8 v1.1 updater yesterday which addresses this problem. See Mac OS X Server v10.5.8: Invalid serial number after updating and About the Mac OS X Server v10.5.8 Update

 

You MUST manually download and install on a 10.5.8 server - it will not show up via Software Update.

 

Apple - Support - Discussions - Help MacOS Server 10.5.8 doesn't accept ...

[Bayne]

Anyone have any issues once they upgraded to Snow Leopard with their Moodle 1.9.5 installations? My Moodle pages just ceased to be. Files are all there. Path in Web Services still points to them, but I am getting a blank page in the browser. Checked in php.ini and other settings....php is uncommented and enabled.

[HodgeHi]

OS X Server 10.5.8 v1.1 has been released which again says it will fix the issue with regards to the serial number and multi-homed servers

[AntonioRocco]

@ kingswood

 

Hello Paul

 

I'm well thanks mate, I trust the same for you?

 

All I can say is generally honesty is the best policy and sometimes the truth will hurt. Better to let the customer know what's ahead no matter how painful it is.

 

Looking back over the list I find I'm (g), (h) and (i) as well!!

 

Antonio Rocco (ACSA)

[rolfea]

I'm doing updates on our XServe tonight, I've held off the 10.5.8 update due to cautions like the one above.

 

Is the update now safe to update, has anyone done this successfully or still having problems?

 

Cheers

[Marci]

Just ensure you use the 10.5.8 v1.1 updater I linked to above rather than the version that comes down automatically from software update and you should be fine. The only issue I currently have is I'm unable to use Apple Remtoe Desktop to connect to the X-Server from my iMac... but I'm yet to track down the specific update that's caused this. I got round it by installing Vine server on the X-Server and just use regular VNC clients to connect to it now...